September challenge 2021 Helen

[Helen Lazaridou]

Hello everyone!Once more my dearest friend Bob encouraged me to take part in the monthly Challenge!And since this time it was a song I thought why not give it a try?🤩🤩But because the melody was too cheerful for me I changed it a bit🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣This was so much fun!!!In fact I sang it in 2 different ways and I’m wondering which one appeals to you more!I hope you’ll enjoy it!!💖💖💖

[Sumanto Banerjee]

Great rendition of both Helen, I personally loved the second approach much much more 🙏🙏

Storming Heaven's Gate

[Garry]

Fantastic Helen. Great to use your vocal skills for this Challenge, very entertaining. Loved the descending bass part towards the end especially. All the best!

[Guido]

Wow, fantastic Helen! The first round, folk “european” style is really very good, and the second one, minor bluesy style, simply wonderful! Your have a great bluesy voice! Relly loved both versions, but the second one is amazing!

Guido

[WBlues]

Nice overall package, Helen. Playing an acoustic guitar and then adding vocals is something special. Well done.

Play guitar just like you live; don't get bogged down in theory, it's just a tool without feeling.

Wilfried

[Mark T]

Oh Helen, boy was I pleased you smiled at the end! I thought, “Better stay out of her way today. She’s got the look of a serial killer” 😂😂😂😜😜😜

Welcome to the challenges – I think this is your first one?

As ever, your voice is beautiful – smokey and moody which so suited your playing! Absolutely loved it, but you knew I would anyway 😘😘😘

And a great video from Mike again! 😎

[Dieter]

Fantastic vocals and fingerpicking. The voice I hear once with a feeling of Greece and Theodorakis, alternating with some bluesy/jazzy feeling. Wonderful to listen to.

Dieter

[Martin W]

Hi Helen two very fine performances with precise finger style playing , the first one had real folk flavour , the second one for me gets the nod had a bit of Eva Cassidy about it . You have a nice vocal real earthy quality to it .
Congrats on your first challenge submission.

Martin

[Phil B]

As the comments above, a great vocal and playing performance. That last bass rundown sounded like a lift from ‘Michelle’ by The Beatles.

[James B]

Very nice indeed. I like the bluesy Helen the best.

James

[Bill]

Great rendition! I liked the bluesy swing feel of version two but both sounded good!

[Jay Guitarman]

Hi Helen, you made the choice of a minor approach, so to get another feeling of the song… Really great performance both your bluesy singing and melodic playing underneath!

[AndréM]

Wow girl that was fantastic.
You have a great voice, i taught you where on the verge of sounding raunchie.
Heard a Greek playing vibe in there.
Beautiful submission.

AndréM

AndréM

[Don Patton jr]

Helen
Nicely done. Creative in changing the vibe of this lullaby. I like the blues version and your finger picking and vocals are a big plus…good one!👍

Don P

Don P

[Eric C]

Nice to hear your voice again, Helen, and, of course your picking! That sounded really good. My favourite part is the second one!

Eric

[Vincent K]

Very entertaining Helen

Great vocals excellent rendition

For me also the second one

🎸 Vincent 🎶 🇳🇱

[Carpa]

Nice, if you can sing you always have an extra asset

[Werner]

what a great submission. thank you
Helen

[sunjamr]

I loved it! And the funny thing is, I could kind of hear a bit of Greek music influence in there. And it made me think that it might be possible to Greekify the whole song, complete with some buzukis. I think it would sound really cool.

Sunjamr Steve

[Juxi]

I love your voice, Helen. Perfectly played, too. The second part was even better than the first. Reminded me of the song “Fever” (this may be so, because it got so hot in my room while I listened to your voice). 😊👍🏽

Bluesige Grüße
Juxi

[Neil C]

Very professional and creative. Nice to hear a voice in this month’s challenge. Excellent!
Neil

[Denise]

Very good minor fingerstyle version with a bit of Greek touch👍.
Well, the 2nd version is very bluesy which I really like better. And your gifted bluesy singing voice shines out.
Love the ending jazzy chord.
Denise

More Blues!

[Rafa]

Hi Helen,

Loved the way you play and sing, very good arragment, I liked the both ways, but the 2nd more because it is more original, congrats!

[Manfred M]

Helen, great voice. I enjoyed your song. And your guitar playing, same quality. Over all a number one performance! And The bluesy part is the highlight.

Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will be on February 28, 2026

For more information click here

I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Livio M]

Hi Helen
They are both beautiful but perhaps the gospel one requires a greater interpretative capacity and a more poignant emotion.
You are a good singer too.

Livio

[Phil67]

Fantastic Helen,both good, but I prefer the second run, you set your soul into it with bluesy vibration.
Congrats.

Where does the white go when snow melts?

[Serena C]

Wonderful version Helen! I’ve loved both ways you sang it, but if you ask which one I prefer, definitely the second one

If I wasn't making mistakes I wouldn't be the kind of player I want to be. Perfection is dangerous.
It's all about taking risks, sometimes you get to some place, sometimes you get to a different place. (Brian May)

[JFL]

I like how the haunting minor melody gets uplifted then goes back again. Well done Helen, great performance 👏👏👏

JFL

[Conor K]

Bloomin’ great, Helen. That second version was sublime. Top notch performance.

[JoLa]

Damn, Helen! That was fantastic! Your voice is so bluesy and strong and your guitar playing is rock solid! I actually like how you transformed the nursery rhyme from this beautiful minor folksy song into this Beth Hart’s sounding blues! The descending bass line at the end was a gem! You are the star, no doubt about it!

🎸JoLa

[Pap]

Helen, that was a fantastic job on this challenge. I liked the 2nd version best. Your voice is incredible and your finger style picking is clear and articulate … really impressive. Cheers. Pap

[Laurel C]

Bob was right about joining the challenges and so here you are. Both versions worked seamlessly together and complemented by your guitar playing. We know you are a fantastic singer already from your posts, the 2nd version appealed for most people.

[John H]

Wow. What an innovative rendition. I am impressed with your creativity, soul and ability to make this a soulful and worthy performance. Master class.

[Charlie L]

Performance excellent. Soul through the roof! Wonderful sounds. Love your voice and playing!

[Tom D]

Hi Helen:

Your guitar playing and vocals sound really great in both versions. To me one of the toughest parts of the challenges is to decide what is in and what is out. So I can see why you put the question to the AM community to vet. So while sonically both are great, I subjectively perceive the style and tone of the second version to better match the lyrics. So that gets my vote. Still, you’ve got a great rendition either way.

Cheers, Tom

[Andy N]

Helen so glad you’ve joined the challenges. That was superb can only echo the above comments. As I said in your recent showcase your voice is made for the blues and the second darker, bluesy version blew me away. P.S. I never knew there was more than one verse, now I do!

[Michael L]

Helen, so great to listen to your rendition. You blended both approaches into a well-rounded composition, and one of the few vocal submission. I liked them in combination, and I think ending with the bluesy version was a good choice. Some really nice guitar work too. I liked the lines working through the chords.

[Author]

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